Plug pulled on all-night lighting
A council is pulling the plug on its practice of keeping street lighting on all night long to help reduce light pollution and to conserve energy.

Street lights controlled by Essex County Council will be switched off between midnight and 0500 GMT in places where it feels it is appropriate.

The council said it was "clearly appropriate" for all night lighting to remain in certain limited areas.

A number of pilot areas have been earmarked for the new approach.

The council funds the majority of street lighting across Essex, which is about 120,000 lights.

The annual energy consumption of this facility is 44 million kilowatt hours of electricity, producing 19,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Road safety

Councillor Rodney Bass said: "We take very seriously our responsibility to take local action on global environmental issues.

"We encourage residents to think about the impact of their personal actions and we expect our staff to be equally responsible about saving energy.

"Now we are thinking more fundamentally about how our policies across the council affect the environment."

Essex Police said in a statement: "The council has given a clear undertaking to consult with police on a case-by-case basis as to whether switching off lights will have an impact on crime and disorder or on road policing and road safety.

"Lighting can have a positive impact on reducing crime and reducing the fear of crime."

Cool! Let's hope this project reaps the benefits and other councils follow - then perhaps we'll see Counties here do the same.

I'd love to see this come in to force over here...

Is it true that a lot of the light just go's straight up from streetlights...
one would think it would be imperitave to direct close to 100& downwards?!

I mean..imperative :oops:

This is great news ! You know, I can see in a few years time, with the cost of energy rising ever more, not enough invested to reap the rewards of renewable energy yet, the only thing in this world that talks is money, at least this is yet another move to add to the list, in future this could be normal practice.

Now if 'paddyland' was'nt so ignorant, we Irish have got to be some of the worst in the world to embrace change, sorry for the rant, but we are so backward compared to our european cousins.

Keith..

My local TD has just dropper a flyer in my letterbox listing, and boasting about, all the new streetlights "he" is going to put up in the rural Blarney area.
Most of them are unnecessary.
I'm replying to him,but its an uphill battle !

Peter,
Ring the TD and tell him there is no poijnt using crappy lighting, he will be remembered for that, tell him about full cutt-off lighting, its better for the environment.
I saw a night time map of Ireland receintly, and you could see that alot of the roads in the 6 counties have lighting along many of the roads, the place was lit up like a christmass tree, if this happens down here, there will be hardly anywhere we could go for a dark site.

You have a big hill to climb.

My local TD has just dropper a flyer in my letterbox listing, and boasting about, all the new streetlights "he" is going to put up in the rural Blarney area.
Most of them are unnecessary.
I'm replying to him,but its an uphill battle !

Can you pm me his address and perhaps send me a scan/pic of the flyer?

Peter,
it is unfortunate that a TD would probably use ignorance of some issues to further his own gain in others. I mean, more lightning no matter what is just silly. When you think about the lack of research done into street lighting, it has me baffled sometimes. You know when people in a more or less rural area with a lack of lighting request it for both protection and safety reasons when it becomes more built-up? Then, when annoying blaring sodium lamps are put in place, and they are more of a nuisance to those same locals? Little thought is put into the fact that they just want the road area adjacent/outside/next to their property lit up... not the whole local skyand their property!

You should perhaps highlight (no pun intended!) to this councillor the need for PROPER lighting. It dos not need to be a blatant-as-you-like letter, just something to bring to his atention some aspect he simply has not considerd yet - and could further his tally of votes in the next local elections!

Seanie.

Peter,
it is unfortunate that a TD would probably use ignorance of some issues to further his own gain in others. I mean, more lightning no matter what is just silly.

It's the perception that more lighting = less crime.

Unfortunately for politicians that have not looked into this they go with the perception. In reality it seems that more light does not deter crime, if anything crime increases.

It's the perception that more lighting = less crime.

You bet Albert, a study in the uk came to the conclusion that with more lighting, more is visible to criminals, therefore = more crime

Keith..

It's the perception that more lighting = less crime.

You bet Albert, a study in the uk came to the conclusion that with more lighting, more is visible to criminals, therefore = more crime

Keith..

The perhps a sleuthing excercise is in order? Have a look for this report Peter and give it to that local TD of yours...